Many people ask me what lies behind the sound of my masters. It’s often thought to be a matter of “presets” or some magical piece of gear, but the reality is that my analog mastering chain is a configuration that has taken me years to refine. Every piece currently in my studio isn’t there by chance or to follow a trend; each piece of equipment was brought in to meet a specific technical and artistic need.
1. The Bridge: Lynx Hilo (AD/DA Conversion)
Everything begins and ends with conversion. I use the Lynx Hilo to move in and out of the analog world. In a chain that already has plenty of tube character, I was looking for a converter that was absolutely transparent. The Hilo gives me the confidence that the signal leaving my DAW reaches the processors without alterations, and that what I capture back is exactly the result of my analog work—free from any “colors” added by the converter that could cloud my decisions.
2. The Diagnosis and filters: Dangerous BAX EQ
The first link in the processing chain is the Dangerous BAX. Before owning the hardware, it was my go-to plugin for 10 years on the Mixbus of all my productions. Moving to the hardware version made me understand its true power. I use it primarily for balancing. Its Shelving filters are so musical that they allow me to quickly detect if a project is unbalanced: if boosting 4 or 5 dB in the lows or highs makes the mix settle, then something was missing. Additionally, its mastering-grade high-pass and low-pass filters allow me to clean the signal from the start, preparing the ground for what’s to come.
3. Precision and Spatials: Maselec MEA-2 & Dutch Audio MSM-1
Next, we have the Maselec MEA-2. The first time I heard it, its clarity amazed me; it is the star parametric equalizer that every mastering chain needs, especially for working the midrange (1k, 2k, 3k), where it sounds incredible. But the real secret here is that I have it integrated with the Dutch Audio MSM-1, a Mid-Side matrix. This allows me to:
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Use the Maselec with absolute precision in MS mode to clean the mids in the center or add “air” to the sides (using its marvelous 27 kHz).
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Solo the Mid or Side to hunt for frequencies surgically.
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Adjust the stereo width in a very particular way before moving forward.
4. The “Broad Brush”: Manley Massive Passive
In series with the Maselec, and also connected to the MS matrix, is the Manley Massive Passive. If the Maselec is the scalpel, the Manley is the “broad brush.” It provides a harmonic color and warmth that is an industry standard (there’s a reason the great Bob Ludwig had three of these in his studio). I use it to highlight vocals or guitars in the sides independently. Additionally, I implemented a custom switcher to choose between its two outputs: the balanced (transformer-coupled) or the Transformerless output, which sounds a bit more open and gives me an extra option depending on what the song requires.
5. Soul and History: Manley Vari-Mu
The Manley Vari-Mu is, without a doubt, my favorite piece. This unit has history: I acquired it from a studio in Seattle that worked with bands like Pearl Jam, Metallica, and Green Day. Furthermore, it is loaded with original vacuum tubes from 1952. As the legendary Sean Magee once told me at Abbey Road: “This is the gear you are looking for, but don’t let the needle move.” The Vari-Mu adds incredible character just by passing the signal through it. I don’t use it for aggressive compression, but rather to generate harmonic content and that density and weight that transforms a mix into a “record.” It is a living piece of gear that requires maintenance, needle balancing, and an understanding of tube wear, but the result is unparalleled.
6. Muscle and Control: Stam Audio SA4000
The Stam Audio SA4000 was my first stereo compressor. If the Vari-Mu provides the “fat,” the SA4000 turns it into “muscle.” It’s a classic SSL-style console sound that I use very subtly; I prefer not to “feel” the compression, but rather use it as a thin layer to mold the audio. I bought it in Chile and brought it back across the Andes Mountains, an experience that gives it enormous sentimental value.
7. Surgical Closure, Multiband Compressor: Elysia X-Max
As the final unit in the analog chain, I use the Elysia X-Max multiband compressor.
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Multiband Control: It is fundamental because it allows me to work compression independently on both the Mid and Side. It also features a crossover to further focus on the specific frequency zone we want to target.
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The Clipper: It features a clipper derived from the Elysia Alpha Master, which sounds wonderful. It allows me to add a bit of saturation with a very pleasant tape-machine-like sonority.
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Stereo Image: Through its Side gain knob, I can widen or narrow the image with a different color than the Dutch Audio’s Width control. Having these two options for opening the stage is a luxury for fine-tuning the final size of the master.
The Final Touch: Limiting
Once the signal returns to the computer through the Lynx Hilo, it arrives practically at its final volume achieved through the analog domain. Digital limiting is only the final process to catch minor peaks. I don’t usually recommend a specific limiter because I believe the limiter is a response to everything that happened earlier in the chain. Every chain is a world of its own, and the important thing is to find the one that best complements the character we’ve built in the analog realm.
I hope this journey through my studio gives you an idea of why I trust this workflow. At the end of the day, it’s about serving the music and giving every track the respect and character it deserves.